Comparing to the baseline
Discuss about the Fundamentals Of the Project Management.
Complete the five values, dream job and skills audit again (you will use this to compare changes to your baseline submitted earlier).
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Value group 1 |
Value group 2 |
Value group 3 |
Value Group 4 |
Value group 5 |
|
Leadership Passion Boldness Ambition Daring Encouragement Teamwork Challenge Professionalism |
Love Caring Kindness Friendship Relationship Family generosity |
Motivation Success Honesty Trustworthy Mindfulness Dedication Ambition Commitment brilliance |
Spirituality Health Wealth Power ethics |
Fun joy Adventure Freedom Balance Being the best |
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Level of importance |
Value |
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1st (Most important) |
Ambition |
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2nd |
Family |
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3rd |
Honesty |
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4th |
Health |
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5th |
Freedom |
Have your values changed since completing the unit? Provide a statement as to how and why these have changed or not.
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Slightly, My high regard for the values of ambition, family, honesty, and health remain unchanged. However, after completing the unit I tend to rank freedom higher than adventure having realized that working in private practice as a project manager would give me more satisfaction. My high regard for ambition, family, honesty, and health remain unchanged because I believe that my if I pursue my ambitions honestly while maintaining a healthy relationship with my family. I would be a happy man. Without good health also, it would not be possible to fulfil my plans. |
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Not competent |
Somewhat competent |
Uncertain |
Competent |
Highly Competent |
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Agile practices |
ü |
||||
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Data gathering and modelling |
ü |
||||
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Earned Value Management |
ü |
||||
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Governance |
ü |
||||
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Lifecycle management |
ü |
||||
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Performance management |
ü |
||||
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Requirements management and traceability |
ü |
||||
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Risk management |
ü |
||||
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Schedule management |
ü |
||||
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Scope management |
ü |
||||
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Time, budget, and cost estimation |
ü |
||||
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Other (if adding another skill type what it is here) _______________________ |
Has your Technical Project Management competence changed since completing the unit? Provide a statement as to how and why these have changed or not.
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Yes, my technical project management competence has greatly improved. Previously, I am now competent at agile practices and schedule management. Agile practices ensures continuous improvement and team input which are key in provision of quality products (Stettina and Hörz 2015, p.5).The ability to manage time is essential for me as a project manager. I also improved in data gathering and modelling and earned value management that would enable me to identify variances from plans and address them effectively. I am however still unsure of my technical capability in governance. These changes are as a result of the teachings I have acquired through studying the unit and my increased awareness about project management. |
|
Not competent |
Somewhat competent |
Uncertain |
Competent |
Highly Competent |
|
|
Benefits management and realisation |
ü |
||||
|
Business acumen |
ü |
||||
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Business models and structures |
ü |
||||
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Competitive analysis |
ü |
||||
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Customer relationship and satisfaction |
ü |
||||
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Industry Knowledge and standards |
ü |
||||
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Legal and regulatory compliance |
ü |
||||
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Market awareness and conditions |
ü |
||||
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Operational functions (e.g. finance, marketing) |
ü |
||||
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Strategic planning, analysis, alignment |
ü |
||||
|
Other (if adding another skill type what it is here) _______________________ |
Have your Strategic and Business Management competence changed since completing the unit? Provide a statement as to what these are and why you think these have changed or not.
|
Yes, my strategic and business management competence has improved significantly. My technical skills in benefits management and realisation, business acumen, competitiveness analysis, and industry practices including relevant operational laws have improved. As a project manager, my skills in strategic and business management would enable me to manage projects profitably, and according to industry practices at the same time being competitive in the market. The knowledge imparted on me in this unit have contributed a lot to this progress. |
|
Not competent |
Somewhat competent |
Uncertain |
Competent |
Highly Competent |
|
|
Brainstorming |
ü |
||||
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Coaching and mentoring |
ü |
||||
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Conflict management |
ü |
||||
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Emotional intelligence |
ü |
||||
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Influencing |
ü |
||||
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Interpersonal skills |
ü |
||||
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Listening |
ü |
||||
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Negotiation |
ü |
||||
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Problem solving |
ü |
||||
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Team building |
ü |
||||
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Other (if adding another skill type what it is here) _______________________ |
Have there been any changes to your Leadership Skill Set since completing the unit? Provide a statement as to what these are and why you think these have changed or not.
- a) What does success mean to you personally? (0.5 marks)
Success to me means fulfilling my ambitions in life. I would count myself successful if I would own my own successful company. Being in private practice would enable me to explore my creativity in pursuit of my dreams while making my opinions count through leading the companies. An entrepreneur has a high possibility of creating huge wealth than an employee who works just for salary with little possibility of growth (Yozgat and Kamanli 2016, p.24)
- b) How did your project perform in relation to Cost, Time, Scope and Quality? (0.5 marks)
My low cost housing project in Australia performed fairly well. We managed to complete the project according to the set schedule and at the same time in accordance to the required quality standards. Quality control and safety standards were adhered to. Project scope involves project management activities that include project documentation, task planning, and budgeting (Heagney 2016, p.34). It also includes the objectives for which the project was undertaken. The project was professionally managed to fulfil all goals for which it was launched. However, there existed notable challenges such as failure to achieve time schedules for some parts of the project, for which we solved by doing the succeeding activities faster without compromising on project quality.
- c) What can you learn from failures and can they ever be a positive thing? (0.5 marks)
Failures are negative situations that occur against the expectation of an individual. I believe that failure should not only be looked at from a negative point of view. Failure comes with lessons which when harnessed prevent their reoccurrence in future (Hu, McNamara and Piaskowska 2017, p. 4). People should not desist from trying what they believe because they fear failure. The more one tries, the higher the chances of succeeding. This attitude is essential for project managers.
- d) How successful was your project in terms of how you define success for you? (0.5 marks)
PMI Talent Triangle Self Audit
I define success as achieving the goals I had set. The whole process of project management form initiation, planning, execution, controlling, and closure were in done right. The project goal to provide low cost housing to the low class people of Australia was achieved and thus generally, the project was successful.
- a) What did you hope to achieve (skills/knowledge/personal insights/ contacts etc.) during your time in this unit? (0.5 marks)
My hope while undertaking the project was to obtain skills that include analysing and identifying the project management requirements that ensure successful completion of a project management project. Learning on how to minimize construction costs and the types of materials that could facilitate the same were the personal insights I was seeking.
- b) What did you achieve by participating in this unit? (0.5 marks)
I learnt a lot with respect to the practical aspects of project management. These involved project initiation, planning, execution, controlling, and closure. Communication, organizational culture and structure affect the way the project is carried out. Project management success highly depend on the overall communication effectiveness (Kerzner 2018, p.20) .Effective and efficient communication between different stakeholders backed by professionalism ensured that the project was successful.
- c) Reflecting on your answers above fill in the following table (1.5 marks)
|
Compare and discuss your answers to (a) and (b). Is there a difference between the two? What are the potential causes of any difference or similarity? |
How does this made you feel? |
What lessons I have learnt about myself from this experience? |
|
Yes, there exists differences. (a) Gives what I hoped to achieve before undertaking the project while (b) express the lessons I learnt after taking part in the project. However, I managed to learn the skills in anticipated. |
Undertaking the project makes me feel more practical in my thoughts. I feel good because I could practically use the theory I had learnt. |
I enjoy practicals than theory. The practical project management part was amazing since they were impactful and full of lessons. |
- a) What do you believe are your major strengths? (0.5 marks)
|
Team playing, communication skills, and creativity. These virtues are among the key traits of a successful project manager. |
|
Yes. My strengths were so much useful in the project. I used my good communication skills to interact and communicate effectively with team members. As a team player, I successfully worked closely together with others towards fulfilling a common goal. My creativity became useful in various stages where there was need to apply a creative solution to tackle project challenges. |
This unit was designed so you will experience a number of challenges that project managers face. These include tight timeframes, diverse teams and requirements that are not necessarily well defined. Being challenged places us under stress, to a certain point this increases performance. However, as stress increases it will start to diminish our performance. The challenging nature of the unit may have raised differing emotions, you may have felt overwhelmed, excited, frustrated, or a sense of achievement. You may have felt different emotions at different stages of the unit, this is perfectly normal when managing projects.
Reflecting on how we each react to stress is important. It enables us to recognise when we are under stress and how we can manage our reactions effectively.
Experiencing challenges of project management in the university context, although uncomfortable enables us to be better prepared for the realities of industry. For example, this unit allows you to make mistakes that are better experienced for first time at university than in industry. Can you think of something you wish you handled better this term?
However, we only gain value if we reflect on our experiences and understand how we can utilise these learnings in future work environments.
Complete the following table:
|
Challenge |
Situation Describe your experience of the following concepts in the context of the unit, including whether you found this challenging or not. |
Your Reaction How did you react (note both feelings and actions) to the challenges? |
Industry readiness How does having this experience better prepare you for working in industry? |
|
a) Dealing with the pressures of extremely tight timeframes and limited resources. (2 marks) |
Sometimes in the pursuit of the unit, I had many assignments that I had to finish within little time frames. Time here was the limited resource. |
I felt overwhelmed and demotivated. But I had no option but to plan myself well in order to finish them within the deadline. |
The industry has the same challenges. Taking a project for instance, the scarcity of labour, capital, and time is a common issue. These challenges therefore, train me on how to handle industry problems. |
|
b) Dealing with team dynamics when team members may be diverse, have differing expectations and commitment. (2 marks) |
Our teams consist of people with different traits and approaches to issues (Rickards & Moger 2017, p.43). As a student, I am sometimes faced with the challenge of relating with others because they hold different interests and opinions. |
Understanding the traits of different team members offers the one the ability to work with them with less conflict. This would include learning how to approach different people and solving conflict that arise amicably. |
In the industry we meet people of different characters and ranks. Most projects would demand individuals to work in teams. Learning group dynamics prepares me to work effectively with others in the industry. |
|
c) Defining an innovative solution for a social issue that is not your primary area of expertise. (2 marks) |
Homeless especially among children and poor families renders the affected to live in deplorable circumstances. Their health and general well-being is threatened. The construction of low cost housing using cheaper materials would solve their problem. |
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|
d) Achieving project delivery for a social issue that is not your primary area of expertise. (2 marks) |
Delivering the low cost housing project requires planning and proper management in order to fulfil objectives. |
||
|
e) Engaging with and eliciting feedback from stakeholders (2 marks) |
Involvement of the all necessary stakeholders including project financiers, local authorities, project managers, and the expected beneficiaries in decision making is essential in order for the project to be successful and more impactful. |
Use the table below and the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) form of addressing Selection Criteria to describe your application of one hard skill (technical project management) and one soft (leadership/interpersonal) skill during the project.
|
Demonstrated Hard Skill |
Here note the hard skill (e.g. technical project management skill) you have demonstrated in project. Comment on whether the skill is the same or different to the hard skill you wanted to improve (as noted in your Baseline assessment – if different note what the baseline skill was) and what insight this has provided you. Schedule management is a skill that I wanted to improve because I was incompetent on how to do it. |
|
Situation |
The low cost housing project had timelines that had to be meet. |
|
Task |
Foundation. Walling. Roofing |
|
Action |
I used Ms. Project software to keep track of activities to make sure schedules are met. Early planning of milestones to establish that every participant had a clear role with stipulated timelines which has to be complied with. |
|
Result |
Generally, schedule management was successful with just a little negligible variations. |
|
Demonstrated Soft Skill |
Here note the soft skill (e.g. interpersonal skills, leadership etc.) you have demonstrated in project. Comment on whether the skill is the same or different to the soft skill you wanted to improve (as noted in your Baseline assessment – if different note what the baseline skill was) and what insight this has provided. The problem solving skill is a soft skill that I was uncertain on whether I possess. I wanted to learn it in this unit. |
|
Situation |
Construction materials were less at the site. |
|
Task |
Tackling the scarcity of materials |
|
Action |
I asked the work men to proceed with the existing materials as I organized the arrival of more. This did not affect work quality since the present materials could be used. |
|
Result |
The project went smoothly since the other materials arrived in time and thus no interruption was witnessed. |
During the unit you were asked to embrace an action mindset. We are challenging you to do the same. You must complete the actions and submissions for one of the options. Some options will provide a choice of actions to complete. Submission act both as evidence of completion of a task and need sufficient details to enable them to be checked, e.g. if you speak to someone provide their details including name, organisation and contact details.
It is better to act in a small way that takes you one step further long your career path than have big plans that are never actioned. Do not submit an extravagant plan or fictionalised exaggeration, as it will waste your time and marks. Choose the option that you can gain value from and is achievable.
Choose one of the following options:
- Apply for a job
- Build your profile
- Improve your industry exposure and networks
The table below provides further information about each option:
|
Option |
Action |
Submit |
|
Option 1 1. Apply for a job |
Apply for a job in your chosen discipline or one that will enable you to develop transferable skills. |
i). A copy of the job advertisement and a short statement explaining why you decided on this position. ii).The completed application you have submitted or plan to submit, including supporting documentation e.g. your updated Curriculum Vitae. iii) Discuss the dos and don’ts of completing job applications. Include at least one relevant reference supporting your statement. |
|
Option 2. Build your profile |
Complete ONE of the following: a) Social Media Write a positive social media message about some aspect related to the unit concepts and what you have achieved that a prospective employer would be able to find e.g. Twitter post “Embracing social innovation mindset #PPMP20018 #CQU” OR b) Article Write a short article about your experience in the unit. The article should be written in a style appropriate for online publication e.g. CQU website or newsletter. You can include a copy of your poster (updated considering any feedback. OR c) LinkedIn Profile Create or update your LinkedIn Profile. Research how to optimise your Linkedin profile and market yourself professionally. |
Submit the following: i) Your post/article or profile A copy of the social media post / article / LinkedIn Profile etc. Include web addresses, screen shots etc. ii) Compliance and Permission A statement agreeing you have read and complied with all relevant CQU polices/procedures relating to social media and you (and your group members – if including the poster) give permission to publish your article/poster. Note: There is no guarantee of publication. Publications may be in the form of extracts and edited. iii) Online Presence Describe how what you post online can help or hinder your future job prospects. Include at least one relevant reference supporting your statement. |
|
Option 3. Improve your industry exposure and networks Note: this relates to the industry of your choice whether project management or domain specific. |
Complete ONE of the following: a) Industry Body Membership Apply for membership to a relevant industry body e.g. PMI, AIPM or other industry body relevant to your discipline. b) Apply for certification Apply for an industry relevant certification e.g. CAPM, PMP etc. c) Attend event Attend an Industry Body or other event relevant to your industry. d) Learn from those in industry Talk with a person within your industry of choice. (this does not have to be a face-to-face meeting, but could be a phone call, zoom meeting etc.). Use the opportunity to seek advice. If you do not have specific questions ask what advice they would give a graduate who wants to get work in the industry. |
i) State your target industry and why this is the industry you want to build a career in. ii) Describe what you have done and include relevant details e.g. contact details, application or membership numbers. iii) Describe the benefits of improving your industry exposure and networks. What have you gained from the action you took? What advice would you give a student who will attempt this next term? Ensure you include at least one relevant reference as a source to support your statement. |
I would build my profile on social media platforms such as twitter and post content that showcase my skills in project management so that prospective employers would see. Social media branding is a nowadays improves the chances of securing projects and jobs when used well (Ashley and Tuten 2015, p.35). Companies who use social media promotion and campaigns in this information era have huge potential for making sales.
Use the table to identify two actions you will complete in the next six months.
|
a) Building your CV Work / career related action to add to your Curriculum Vitae (CV). |
I would Pursue the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) certification in order to boost my professionalism in the field. I would commit 23 contact hours of formal education. |
|
b) Finding Balance Fun / exciting activity that you have never done before (does not need to be work related) |
Having fun or exciting moments is good for human health. I plan to add more of such experiences to my life. Surfing is exciting for mean and I would have to try it to add Fun to my life this year. |
|
OPTIONAL – email contact Provide an email address that will be active in six months if you wish to receive a follow-up email (note if this is your last unit the CQU email may not still be active). |
References
Ashley, C. and Tuten, T., 2015. Creative strategies in social media marketing: An exploratory study of branded social content and consumer engagement. Psychology & Marketing, 32(1), pp.15-27.
Heagney, J., 2016. Fundamentals of project management. AMACOM Div American Mgmt Assn.
Hu, Y., McNamara, P. and Piaskowska, D., 2017. Project Suspensions and Failures in New Product Development: Returns for Entrepreneurial Firms in Co?Development Alliances. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 34(1), pp.35-59.
Kerzner, H. and Kerzner, H.R., 2017. Project management: a systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling. John Wiley & Sons.
Kerzner, H., 2018. Project management best practices: Achieving global excellence. John Wiley & Sons.
Stettina, C.J. and Hörz, J., 2015. Agile portfolio management: An empirical perspective on the practice in use. International Journal of Project Management, 33(1), pp.140-152.
Rickards, T. and Moger, S., 2017. Handbook for creative team leaders. Routledge.
Yozgat, U. and Kamanli, A.I., 2016. The effect of entrepreneur’s passion and transactional leadership style on the performance of employees.
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